Warriors' Draymond Green says Lakers' Julius Randle 'has potential'

Lakers forward Julius Randle acknowledged of Warriors All-Star Draymond Green, left, ‘there's a little more juice when I compete against him' because of a relationship he described as both a ‘friendly rivalry and mentorship.' (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

LAS VEGAS – With the ball in his hands, Lakers forward Julius Randle stared straight ahead at one of his mentors, but he didn’t look intimidated by Draymond Green’s formidable presence.

Instead, Randle charged past him. After drawing a foul on the Golden State Warriors’ All-Star forward, Randle shouted four words that quickly went viral.

“He can’t guard me!,” Randle said, shaking his head dismissively.

The Lakers play host to the Golden State Warriors in a preseason game Wednesday at San Diego Sports Arena nearly a year after that episode took place at the same venue.

Randle acknowledged “there’s a little more juice when I compete against him” because of a relationship he described as both a “friendly rivalry and mentorship.” Yet, Randle expressed a foggy memory about the incident before saying “it’s in the past.”

Green, though, has not forgotten.

After seeing the video clip on Twitter shortly after it happened, Green said his respect for Randle deepened. Green believes Randle “can be real special,” raving about his length, athleticism and playmaking. Green also said he considers the comparisons between him and Randle “cool.” Those comparisons have been drawn more frequently with Randle’s expected emergence under new Lakers coach Luke Walton, who spent the previous two seasons as a Golden State assistant.

Will Randle validate those comparisons?

“I think he can. I also think he has the potential to be better,” Green said. “With the God-given gifts he has, he has the potential to be better. I’ll continue to grow. I’ll never stop working and I’ll continue to get better. But what is he, 21? That’s a lot of time to continue to grow.”

Walton said he “absolutely” saw Randle and Green as a “good comparison” before praising their athleticism and playmaking. He then pointed out Green’s superior jump shooting before complimenting Randle for his offseason efforts to improve in that area. Walton then added, “that could be someone you compare to down the road.”

The resumes don’t match right now. Since the Warriors selected him 35th overall in the 2012 NBA draft, Green has won an NBA title (2015), become an All-Star (2016) and landed on the league’s All-Defensive First Team (2015, 2016). Since the Lakers picked him seventh overall in the 2014 NBA draft, Randle suffered a season-ending leg injury in the first game of his rookie season before leading his sophomore class with 34 double-doubles last season.

Nonetheless, Green sees one intangible quality that prompted him to predict Randle will eventually surpass him as a player.

“The thing about him you can’t teach is his heart,” Green said. “When you have that heart and type of dog in you, you’re going to work. I think he can be really, really, really good.”

Perhaps Randle will prove Green correct because of how he received the compliment.

“That’s great. I take the advice and all of that and try to learn as much as I can from other people. But all I can do is focus on myself,” Randle said. “I can’t worry about comparisons and all that other stuff. I have to focus on myself, focus on my team, try to get better every day and try to win.”

Green saw Randle showcasing that mindset when he drove past him in last fall’s preseason game. Randle crossed over to his right to throw Green off balance. Randle then powered into the lane before Green disrupted his layup attempt by fouling him.

“I don’t back down from anybody,” Randle said. “It’s who I am. It’s who I’ve been from the start. Whether it’s Draymond or not, it doesn’t really matter.”

After seeing Randle’s trash talk on video, Green told him shortly afterward, “I appreciate you getting me going for this next preseason game.”

“I love to see somebody compete like that. That’s a lost thing in this game,” Green said. “That’s how I grew up playing. To see somebody be the same way, it’s not all lost. It’s great to see.”

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